Jammu Kashmir : Security forces gun down 8 Pakistani Militants

Eight Pakistani militants were killed in three separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir. Two encounters took place in Jijhar and Sopore. The third one took place at Keran sector along the Line Of Control (LOC). In Jijhar 3 militants were killed by the security forces. The forces gunned down 2 militants in Sopore while the other 3 were killed in the Keran sector.

Miltancy continues to plague the violence-hit state.

The number of listed militants in Kashmir has gone up to 300 in the last one decade for the first time, according to figures compiled by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The number of militants was usually around 200 in the ten years previously, with the figure coming down to the lowest at 78 in 2013 since insurgency started in 1990.

One of the main reasons for the increase in the number of militants is local youths in south Kashmir picking up arms, a police officer said. Out of the 300 listed militants, close to 180 are active in south Kashmir districts.

According to experts, the killing of Hizbul Mujahideens poster boy Burhan Wani in 2016 triggered the spike in the number of militants with more youngsters picking up arms. Around 126 youths joined militancy in last year alone.

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